Ford Mustang FR500GT

The Verdict

Lows: Wonky pedals, numb brakes, you can find a faster car for $225,000.

The Verdict: All the sound and fury of a race car, 'cause it is. Buy now, or for $1 million at Barrett-Jackson in 2020.

Cost is also a major factor. "I want a driver to be able to make it through the whole season without an engine rebuild," Davis says. "And when you finally do need one, it shouldn't cost much more than $20,000."

So how does the FR500GT feel on the track? Buckled in, you're fairly low in the car, but visibility at all angles is fine. The dashboard and the digital instrument panel, slightly cobbled together, resemble the Boy Racer setup. Slip the sequential shifter left and up, and that's neutral. Flip two switches and press the button, and the engine cranks quickly. Vibration is minimal, and the sound is raucous.

Snick the shifter right and back, and that's first gear. To shift up, just pull the shifter back toward you. To shift down, push it forward. It's easy, and compared with some sequentials we've driven, not at all temperamental.

Pedal placement is a little awkward, and although it may be the hot ticket for easy heel-and-toe, the accelerator and the brake are so close that you have to make a conscious effort to keep your size 11s on the proper pedals. That's one thing that will be cleaned up for production, as will the tacked-on look of instruments and gauges in this prototype, which still has the air conditioning ducts and controls.

Under way, the FR500GT is a blast. The engine pulls like a mule train up to about 6800 rpm, with a refreshingly broad power band. Aside from uncomfortably numb brakes, the car is, as Scott Maxwell said, imminently tossable. The big Pirelli slicks hang on like Dick Clark, and when they finally do let go - typically the front tires before the rears - they do so gradually and predictably. Grattan Raceway in western Michigan is tight and a bit bumpy, and had this been a race weekend, we'd have softened up the suspension a bit. But as it was, we reached our limits in the FR500GT well before we reached the FR500GT's limits. Having squeezed into the passenger seat for a ride with Scott Maxwell earlier, though, we found just how effective the brakes are with a professional driver, and how buttoned down the rear suspension is, even with a solid axle.

So will you be seeing the FR500GT, the King of All Mustangs, at a Track Near You in 2007? "The series is ready to go," Davis says, but he'd like to find a title sponsor to help with marketing, the winner's circle, timing, and scoring - "all the stuff we're not that good at."